Feeding device



April 4, 1933. c. L. PosT FEEDING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 29, 1928 fawni @57567770'7 Claude 1,1 05% April 4, 1933. c POST 1,903,361

' FEEDING DEVICE Filed Aug. 29, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 1i7%e55: I CZaadeLJPasZ April 1933.

' ,c. L. Pos-r FEEDING DEVICE '4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 29, 1928 6722167270141 ClaudeZ.P015Z' Java - April 4, 1933. c. L. POST FEEDING DEVICE Filed Aug. 29. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Qfflven (of C(aadel. P05 2 Patented Apr. 4, 1933 TES CLAUDE L. POST, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS PATENT OFFI E 1 FEEDING DEVICE Application filed August 29, 1928. Serial No, 302,883. j

My invention relates to feeding mechanism and particularly to mechanism for feeding envelopes to a printing mechanism or the like.

The invention. has among its objects the production of mechanism of the kind described which is convenient, compact, durable,eificient,and satisfactory for use wherever found applicable. V j

A particular object of the invention is to provide improved mechanism for feeding envelopes from a magazine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described, in which the feeding mechanism is fully adjustable relative to the driving means therefor in order that the envelopes may be so fed to a printingv machine that the printing will be ap lied thereto at the desired position.

Still afurther object of my invention is to provide such a device which can be quickly and easily adjusted tofeed varioussized envelopes to printing mechanism or the like.

Another object of my invention is to provide such a device having parts which are quickly and easily demountable in order that access may be readily obtained to various parts of the mechanism, for facilitating repairs and for removing envelopes when they become jammed. Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring now to the drawings forming part of the specification:

F 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention; 1

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1; V r

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2; f Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

on the line 'and 16.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on theline I 74 of Fig. 6 and F 1g- 8 is a sectionalview taken on the line 7 88 of Fig. 2.

The drawings show a preferred embodiment of my invention in combination with a printing mechanism, the combination'being especially adaptedto print return addresses and the like upon envelopes, and is also. adapted to print any desired information upon. cards or sheets of paper. There is provided a main frame 1 carrying a printing roll 2, and a fiat or impression roll 3, the rolls beingv driven by means (not shown) shown and, dc scribed in my co-pending application, Serial. No..741,428, filed October 3, 1924. The envelope or other articles to beprinted are pref erably placed in a hopper or magazine 5 lo cated at one end of the machine and are withdrawn therefrom and presented to the printing roll, envelopes being withdrawn from the magazine by means comprising feed rolls 15 and 16 mounted in the frame 1 and a flap engagingfinger 17 mounted below the maga-, zine and adapted to extend thefiap portion of the envelope forwardly.

These elements'are all as clearly shown and described in my co-pending applic'ati0n,Se-.

rial No. 81,204, filed January 14, 1926.

The flap engaging finger is adapted to: en

gage the body portion of the lowermost-envelope in the magazine behind the flap po'rtion thereof, and then swing the fiapin ad- Vance of the body portion in suchmanner that the flap may be engaged by the feed rolls 15 This is advantageous in that the envelopes are then presented to the printing rol with their flap portions extended and it is thus relatively easy to make clear impressions of the type upon the envelope; furthermore, the flap may thus be printed upon si-' multaneously with the envelope. 1 I The magazine 5 and mechanism associated: therewith are fully described in my-co pend ing application Ser. No. 81,204 referred to velopes are positioned in the magazine 5 and I V of the set screws 51 to accommodateienvelopes resting on shaft 21.

fed therefrom to the advancing means, indi described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 741,428, filed Oct. 3, 1924, may be provided for securing the frames together such as lugs 90 on the frame seating in sockets 91 in the main frame, and lugs 90 (Fig. 1). The frame 20 comprises a transverse bar 20a and longitudinal bars 20?). Carried by the frame 20 and adjacent one end thereof, is a pair of shafts 21 and 27, the shaft 21 being-formed in two aligned sections 21a and 21b and the section 215 carrying a gear 22. The two sections of the shaft are joined by means of a sleeve 23 pivoted to the section 21?) as shown clearly in Fig. 4, and secured to the section 21a by means of set screws 24. A suitable I V for the shaft 21 in order that the shaft, to-' bearing 25 is provided in the main frame 1 gether with the frame 20, may be elevated bodily from the main frame 1.

Each of the shafts 21 and 27 carries a pair of sprockets 29 and 29, and 30 and30, respectively. 'Carried by these sprockets are sprocket chains 32 and 33, which carry workadvancing members'34 adapted to engage and advance an envelope or similar article. The

sprocket 29 isfixed to the shaft 21a while sprocket 29 is rotatably adjustable by means of a set screw 71. It will be noted from an inspection of Fig. 6 that the shaft 27 is movi able longitudinally of the sprocket chains 32 and 33, that is, toward and away fron the shaft 21, and may be adjusted by means of the set screws 36 threaded through the frame 20 in such a position as will provide the desired tension on the sprocket chains. 7

"A second removable frame 40 is carried by the frame 20, clips 41 pivoted at 42 servingto retain the frame 40 in position on the frame 20. As best seenin Figs. 4, et seq., the

l i frame 20 carries a roller 44 having a circumferential ridge 45 rotatably mounted in'brackets 46 integral with the frame 40, these brackets being preferably open at the to so that v the roller may be lifted therefrom. See Fig.

l 6.) The frame 40 comprises a transverse bar 47, this bar being retained by the clips 41 referred to above and a pair of U-shaped bars 48 extending longitudinally of the feeding device. Yokes50 are secured to the U-shaped channels 48 and are slidable on the transverse bar 47, set screws 51 passing through the yoke members and engaging the bar 47 for retaining theU-shaped channels in adjusted positions. It will be readily understood that theU-shaped bars serve as guide members for the" envelopes or other material being ad;

vanced andthat these U-shaped bars may be adjusted along the transverse bar 47 by means of any desired size. It will also be noted that a pair of set screws 51 is provided for each channel 48 and provide means for adj ustably holding said channels relatively to the bar 47 and for adjusting said channels relatively to the bar 47.

It will be noted from Fig. 5 that the frame 20 serves to support the 'spro'cket chains 32 and 33. 1

Any suitable means may be'provided for driving the feed .rolls 15 and 16 and the sprocket chains heretofore mentioned. Ft will :be noted that in the illustrated embodiment of the invention the feed roll 15 is secured to a shaft 18rotatably journaled in the frame 1 and that the feed roll 16is1 provided with a trunnion 70 also Irotatably journaled in the frame 1. Meshing with a sprocket 52 fixed to the shaft 18 is a sprocket chain 53 which meshes withfa sprocket 54 fixed to a shaft 55 carrying the printing roll 2, it being understood that the shaft 55 is driven by suitable means (not shown) which may be of the type hereinbefore mentioned. 7

before mentioned, is a pinion. 22, which pinion is operatively connected to the shaft 55 through the medium of a plurality of P pinions 58 and the gear 60 secured to the shaft 55.

The operation of the device embodying my invention will be readily apparent from what has gone before. By means of the peculiar construction of the shaft 21 in two sections, it is possible to adjust the feeding device and set the advancing members 34 at any desired position relative to the printing mechanism. This is accomplished merely by loosening the set screws 24 and'rotating the portion of the shaft 21 which is notpositively connected to the pinion 22 until the advancing members are at the desired positions, whereupon the set screws are again tightened up. ,VVere it not for this "construction, the advancing mechanism could only be adjusted in distances corresponding to a single tooth on the pinion 22, or wholemultiples thereof, whereas by means of the device shown,

any desired adjustment whatsoever is possible. Furthermore, by means of the set screw 71, the sprocket 29 may be independently adjusted relative to the sprocket 29.

It is also readily apparent that the guide 3 48, as pointed out above, permits the ad r.

justment of'these bars in a desired horizontal plane. It is advantageous that the frame 20 may be removed bodily from the frame 1, in order that free access may be had to the various parts of the device, and I'have also if gone a step further in permitting the frame 40 carrying the roller 44 and the guide bars 48 to be independently removable. It is readily apparent, therefore, that by means of the simple construction of my device it may be very cheaply constructed and very quickly set up or demounted.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not Wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Envelope feeding mechanism comprising envelope advancing means, a frame providing a support for said advancing means, means for driving said advancing means, and means for supporting said frame and providing means for adjusting said advancing means relative to said drive means so as to permit any desired variation in feeding.

2. In combination with a printing device, envelope feeding mechanism geared'to said printing device, said feeding. mechanism comprising a pair of endless elements secured to a shaft providing envelope advancing means and a support of said envelopes, and means for simultaneously adjusting said elements relative to said printing device so as to permit any desired variation in feed relative to said printing device and support.

3. Envelope feeding mechanism comprising envelope advancing means, said advancing means including a sectional drive shaft providing an element of a supportfor the advancing means, means positively connected to said shaft for driving the same, and means on said shaft permitting adjustment of one element of said shaft and said advancing means relative to another element of said drive shaft so as to permit any desired variation in feed.

4:. Envelope feeding mechanism comprising envelope advancing means, said advancing means comprising a drive shaft formed in two aligned sections, means positively'connected to one of said sections for driving said advancing means, and means connecting said sections so as to permit adjustment of said advancing means relative to said drive means and to allow any desired variation in feed.

5. Envelope feeding mechanism comprising envelope advancing means, said advancing means comprising a drive shaft formed in two aligned sections, means positively connected to one of said sections for positively driving said advancing means, a sleeve keyed to one of said sections and adj ustably secured to the other of said sections to permit the rotation of said sections as a unit and to permit the angular adjustment of one relative to the ed thereon carrying envelope advancing.

means, a frame removably carried by said removable frame, and carrylng means for guiding the work carried by'said advancing 7 means. 7

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto slgned my name.

CLAUDE L. POST. 

